Muhammet Yakut, a Kurdish businessman and whistleblower wanted by Turkey over corruption allegations he published on social media, died of a suspected heart attack Sunday evening in Germany, just hours after being released from custody in the Netherlands.
Yakut, 52, died in a sauna near the Dutch-German border, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. The facility, identified as Happy Garden Sauna, which is located in Germany, is reportedly owned by an individual of Turkish origin. Authorities have reportedly ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Yakut had been imprisoned in the Netherlands following his arrest at the Dutch border, where he had traveled from Germany earlier this year to meet Cemil Önal, another Turkish national who was assassinated the day after Yakut’s detention. Yakut was held for several months based on an INTERPOL Red Notice issued by Turkey but was released after Dutch authorities declined to extradite him.
His sudden death has raised questions among journalists and observers given his public profile and the timing of his release. Yakut had previously survived threats and alleged assassination attempts and had sought protection from well-known figures in the Turkish diaspora, including members of the Baybaşin family, a prominent Kurdish clan in Europe.
Yakut rose to national attention in Turkey in 2023 through a series of YouTube videos in which he accused senior Turkish government officials, including former ministers and members of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s inner circle, of corruption, blackmail and abuse of office. His videos, often stylized and personal in tone, garnered millions of views before being removed following Turkish court orders and censorship requests to platforms including YouTube, TikTok and X.
A vocal critic of Erdoğan’s administration, Yakut claimed in his videos that state authorities had collaborated with organized crime figures and had used state resources to cover up scandals involving high-ranking officials. He also echoed claims that a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey may have been allowed to happen, a statement that positioned him in direct confrontation with the ruling party’s official narrative.
In a livestream on Monday, journalist Cevheri Güven described Yakut’s final days, including his long imprisonment in the Netherlands and his deteriorating health and financial condition. Güven also noted that Yakut had a history of heart problems, including multiple stent procedures, and that the extreme heat in the region may have contributed to his death after entering the sauna.
Yakut’s death follows the recent assassination of Cemil Önal, a former finance chief of Turkish-Cypriot crime boss Halil Falyalı, who had accused Turkish government insiders of receiving bribes from Falyalı’s illicit betting operations. Önal was gunned down in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, on May 1. Both Önal and Yakut had been in contact with exiled Turkish prosecutor Bayram Bozkurt and were reportedly planning further disclosures.
Turkish authorities had long sought Yakut’s return. However, both Spain and the Netherlands declined to extradite him, citing risks of political persecution and torture if he were returned to Turkey.
Yakut’s body was taken for forensic examination, and his funeral is expected to take place in his hometown of Diyarbakır, pending family approval and final medical results.
German and Dutch authorities have not yet released an official statement on the incident.